Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas have found that neighborhood barbers can influence African-American men to seek blood pressure treatement. 

The study participants were patrons of 17 black-owned barbershops throughout Dallas County between March 2006 and December 2008.

Eight shops gave customers traditional pamphlets about hypertension.  In this group, the number of men who pursued medical care to control their hypertension increased from 40 percent at the start of the study to 51 percent at follow-up.

Nine shops put up posters with messages from other male clients about hypertension, checked patrons’ blood pressure and encouraged the men to see a physician if their numbers were elevated.  In this group, the number of men who controlled their hypertension increased from 33.8 percent at the start of the study to 53.7 percent at follow-up. .

Read more here:  http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/utsw/cda/dept353744/files/629749.html

This fascinating one hour HBO documentary illustrates a typical day in the life of a successful community barbershop on Harlem’s 125th street, showing the vital role community barbershops play in facilitating dicussion on a wide variety of important issues, including health care:  http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/cutting-edge/index.html

The creators of this documentary are interviewed here:  http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/cutting-edge/index.html#/documentaries/cutting-edge/interview/june-amani-martin-and-reggie-williams.html